Ganja critic and self-styled chronnoisseur, Dragonfly travels the world in search of the best cannabis and evaluates strains ranging from the popular and plentiful to the rare and exotic. She samples each strain in joints, vaporizers, glass bongs, and bubblers (whenever available), taking careful notes of the smell, taste, and nuanced effects of each one, all in the name of getting you vicariously and royally baked. Get High with Dragonfly in West Coast Cannabis, SKUNK, and right here.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Blackberry Kush is without doubt one of the most strikingly beautiful strains you will ever see in your life. Drenched in THC and dripping with crystals, it is one of the frostiest varieties on the scene. Covered in bulbous trichomes, the buds sparkle like dank little diamonds. It shines so brilliantly with frost, you almost don't even notice its purple accents. This connoisseur strain features mouth-watering shades of color, ranging from light pinkish-purple to deep red burgundy, often all in one precious nug. It is stunning. It looks more like candy than anything that came from a plant. And it's just as sweet.

Blackberry Kush was created by OrGnKiD, the living legend who was among the first to introduce Kush seeds to the scene. It is a highly-prized pairing of Blackberry x White Rhino crossed with Bubba Kush, and all three of these influences are deliciously apparent. You can taste and smell the sweet fruitiness of the Blackberry and the coffee of the Bubba Kush, and you can't miss the frost inherited from White Rhino.

When a group of seasoned chronnoisseurs convened to sample strains in a private cannabis cup, Blackberry Kush was the last joint we smoked. After a dozen or so other entries, you might expect that the effect would be largely indeterminable. Not so in this case. Blackberry Kush lulled us out of hours of highness into another dimension of highness. The sounds of chronnoisseurs impressed filled the room as we turned to one another wowed and surprised. And that was only off the dry hit!

The smell: On the living plant, Blackberry Kush smells deeply luscious. Concord grape, lavender, vanilla, and sage perfume the nose. Once the bud is dry, a gentle fluff brings up the grape, rose, and raspberry high notes, with a layering of lavender and sage. All of this is cradled by a classic Bubba-esque bottom end that gives rise to a hint of Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee in the after-scent. The dry hit: The dry hit flooded our mouths with a lush bouquet of grape, sage, and raspberry, with indescribably yummy, floral undertones. Immediately, we surmised that this must be what the alien elite smoke on faraway planets. Or, more likely, what the alien elite are smoking right here on Earth!

The flavor: The signature Bubba Kush taste is only mildly apparent beneath the potent berry flavor. One hit and you'll be basking in grape, lavender, sage, coffee, rose, and raspberry, with a pungent, sweet finish. The cloud: When we puffed Blackberry Kush, we exhaled dense clouds of vanilla, sage, lavender, and grape. There was a peppery hint of Terrapin culinary spice that lingered, and we also noticed the scent of patchouli in the aroma (perhaps because there were hippies among us?).

The high: I had been pondering getting up to get a drink when I sparked the BBK. Let's just say that drink never happened. Unseen arms extended from the sofa and wrapped me comfortably and cozily in immediate -- hmm, not couch lock, per se; I would call it more of a couch embrace. Blackberry Kush gives a very stony, relaxing, undeniably indica body high, rounded out by a nice accompanying head high. Just a toke or two will give you a good buzz to keep you baked and buoyant without putting you under.

BBK injects every cell with peaceful tranquility, enhancing the simple pleasure of doing nothing at all. A moderate pain reliever, it also helps diffuse feelings of anxiety by putting you perfectly at ease. It is highly introspective; more conducive to daydreaming, meditating, or trancing out than social settings, unless you prefer social settings wherein pretty much nobody talks. That said, if you want your chatty friend to give it a rest, give him a few hits of this!

BBK induces some serious munchies, so it's worthwhile to have some healthy snacks on hand. It's a convenient choice if you've been invited to dinner by someone of questionable cooking skills. It's also a good opportunity to eat the snacks you don't really like but don't want to see go to waste, because on BBK, you will love them!

A nice joint of Blackberry Kush is the perfect late-night smoke. It has a mysterious way of channeling the Earth Mother, who rises like a goddess through the smoke and kisses your eyes and strokes your head, soothing you into perfect, dreamy contentment. And this mollifying strain is the ideal lullaby when your sweetie is not within easy snuggle distance. Most indicas will do a good job of putting you to sleep. But something about Blackberry Kush lulls you to la-la-land in a more luxurious way than other strains in its class. Blackberry Kush sends you drifting through a starry sky, under a full moon, on a bright, white, fluffy cloud. And you won't wake up feeling like you just smoked a heavy indica the night before. There is something peaceful and refreshing about waking up renewed the morning after Blackberry Kush. The grow: Blackberry Kush clones easily, but can be tricky to veg properly. Once in the veg state, it shoots out several branches that must be clipped down to a few strong, viable ones to prevent a cluster of little buds, and to allow the plant to take shape. From there, this short, stocky plant wants to flower almost immediately. Keeping it on a 24-hour light cycle while vegging will counteract this.

Even in the veg state, BBK is so excited to mate that it can start to produce resin crystals on the branches and all over its gorgeous, dark purple and burgundy leaves. Frost accelerates upon flowering, and an array of beautiful color blossoms soon after -- pinkish purples darkening to deep burgundy, all covered in sparkly white frost. (It's not likely to become deep purple even with good fading and cold temperatures.) BBK has a relatively short flowering period of 55 days. Its compact but fluffy nugs, coupled with its absence of colas, mean you'll be lucky to find this boutique strain in commercial markets.

Blackberry Kush is a must for any well-rounded head stash. The buds are so beautiful you might have a hard time deciding whether to actually smoke them or just stare at them with your friends. Serving so many diverse functions, BBK is the perfect strain to keep on hand. And being so divine to look at and delicious to taste, it is sure to become one of your new favorites.

blackberry kush

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You just got BBK-O'd! Look for Blue Dream, Orange Velvet and Purple Diesel in upcoming issues. Got a strain you want to see reviewed in Getting High With Dragonfly? Email me at ganjaprincess@hotmail.com.

Dragonfly de la Luz is a world-traveling ganja critic and self-styled chronnoisseur. When not following Radiohead on tour, she travels to exotic countries with relaxed weed laws and writes about the myriad pot scenes and counter-cultures she encounters, sharing her findings in popular cannabis magazines. Her articles have appeared in Cannabis Culture, West Coast Cannabis, SKUNK, and the Journal for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, and she is also the global ganja correspondent for TV's Cannabis Planet. Dragonfly studied English Literature and Women's Studies before pursuing her graduate degree in Feminism and Social Justice. Recently named one of SKUNK magazine's most influential women in weed, Dragonfly is committed to transmitting the culture of stoner intelligentsia to the world.